Cat and Mouse
by MollyWollyRose
Summary: It's an epic battle of the wits. But who shall possess whom by the end of the match? One night will change their lives forever... OOC LeahXJacob, slight D/s behavior, Graphic Lemon, A/U, One Shot.


**Cat and Mouse: It's an epic battle of the wits. But who shall possess whom by the end of the match? One night will change their lives forever... OOC LeahXJacob, slight D/s behavior, Graphic Lemon, A/U.**

**

* * *

**The game of cat and mouse is legendary, and is a favorite subject for novelists and fan fic writers alike. What is it that draws one into the game, at once so fascinating and so antagonistic? It is a complicated matter that is ever being examined by the philosopher. I, too, have made many attempts to solve the riddle.

It seems to me that the game was more enjoyable in ancient times. Nowadays, it is decidedly less satisfying. Somehow the stakes got higher, the players more menacing and the game more ruthless. For one thing, the object of the game has very nearly been eliminated.

It has long been established, for instance, that Cat is physically stonger than Mouse, but Mouse has nevertheless been a worthy opponent by virtue of her superior instincts and faultless determination. Over the years, however, Cat has cumulated many unfair advantages over Mouse, taking the fair play out of the game.

This development has had the peculiar effect of making the game all the more enticing for Mouse while rendering it tedious and dull for the Cat.

In the story I am telling, supremacy belongs to men. Women have much less power in most respects; she earns and keeps less wealth, she has a much smaller voice in world events and, in short, she has fewer advantages than a man.

Consequently, women have lost much of their spirit, and men feel the loss of it without acknowledging it. And so, when he encounters one of those few delightfully tenacious women who refuse to accept those terms meekly, this new breed of man is too frightened to respond appropriately.

The game, then, has reached it final stages of existence, and only in the rarest cases, as in the story described here, is it played with the vigor of ancient times.

Meanwhile, Leah Clearwater has lost all respect for Jacob Black and all his kind, thinking him lazy and spoiled by those slatternly women who have acquiesced to his superiority.

Such are the circumstances of Cat and Mouse as I begin my tale of two strong, dominant personalities, clashing in a battle of the body, mind, and heart...

* * *

As my tale begins, Leah is keeping a low profile in a little hole in the wall in a man's world. She is dressed in a flimsy, thin, ragged dress, which is the modern fashion for women in this man's world, but which barely covers her nakedness and leaves her always feeling exposed and exploited.

Still, our fiery Mouse feels relatively safe from our Cat because of her rebellious attitude, which his kind interprets as coldhearted, harpy-like spitefulness. This suits Leah perfectly, for Jacob Black and all of his ilk disgusts her.

"Ha! Cowards!" laughs Leah, as yet another man scurries past her little room in the women's quarters of the city, hastening to get away from the hostile creature within. "How fearful those big, strong men become when they encounter anger from the powerless, empty little flowerpots they call women. I'll easily escape the fate of the mindless women of my species with mere animosity as my defense."

Indeed, it was not difficult for her to bring forth feelings of animosity. She hated being exploited in this testosterone dominated world, never being appreciated for her vast intelligence or what little sensitivity they could see. Why, just last week, she had walked in on her beautiful older cousin, Emily being berated, beaten, and used mercilessly by that brute she called a boyfriend.

But just as well, Emily hadn't been blessed with the intelligent, morally bound mind of her much younger, more independent cousin.

And yet, whenever a man stopped at the opening of her homey little room in the brothel to look her over, she was seized with strange sensations that were both disturbing and frightening, odd even for her. But she refused to let the men see her fear, or more especially, her secretly harbored, well hidden hope that she might someday meet a _real_ man, like those she had read about in those romantic novels Emily had given her for her birthday.

So she hissed, growled, and cursed at them, laughing as they nearly tripped over their own feet in their hurry to escape her.

She set her face in an expression of haughty, prideful disdain as she heard another man approach. It was just as well, that she was in the middle of her favorite movie. Leah resolved to be rid of him immediately to finished enjoying it, when he appeared. He was larger than she was, as were all the others, but she reminded herself that size wasn't everything, execpt underneath the barrier of clothes. She was certain her will was superior to his.

Leah stuggled to remain composed as the man stood in the entranceway, his eyes moving leisurely over her body, the neat room, and back to her body again. The usual agitation burned within her. By what right did men think they could ogle women in that rude way? How did it get to the point where this was considered normal behavior? If she were to behave like other women like Emily, for example, she was now expected to be flattered to have been honored with Jacob's attention.

She jerked her attractively pointed chin up even higher and met the man's eyes with a look of disgust.

Jacob Black _was _uncommonly handsome, she grudgingly noticed. It was indeed unusual these days for a man to care about his appearance at all. They were generally so scraggly and unkempt, that it offended one to be anywhaere near them. It was obviously a result of their overconfidence to charm any woman to their beds. But then again, these days, women were so busy worrying about their own appearances that it rarely occured to them to notice that the men were not worth all the trouble.

This man, however, was one of the few who would be considered worth the trouble, according to Leah's high standards. But that was all the more reason to avoid him in Leah's opinion, for the good-looking men were worse that the slovenly ones. They were in great demand and they knew it, and it was hard work indeed to win their affection for a single moment, let alone to achieve any kind of long term devotion. As she looked at the man's self assured expression, Leah realized he probably had a large number of women at his beck and call. She tried to force herself to look past his physical beauty.

But it was impossible not to note the thick, black hair that curled into dark waves atop his creased forehead, or the faultlessly chiseled features that arranged themselves into an expression of absolute confidence and poise. Those deep, dark eyes that continued to move over her body shamelessly were darkening with each passing. His large, muscular body moved with singular grace and ease. Leah's sharp instincts warned her that she had better rid herself of him quickly.

She drew upon her most effective weapon in ridding herself of men: her tongue.

"Look all you like, pig." She snarled. "You will never be allowed to touch." For at the very least, this strange world which she lived would not permit a man to force a woman to submit against her will. Indeed, there was not a temptation for them to do so anyway, since women were offering themselves up willingly to be the eager harem slaves of the undeserving louts.

To Leah's astonishment, he slowly entered her room, shutting the door quietly behind him, and stood in front of her. Jacob slowly put out a hand and slipped a finger under each of her dress straps, careful not to touch her skin, and dragging the ragged material of her covering down her shoulders, exposing the upper half of her body to him. With an angry hiss, Leah slapped his hand away with a little more force than she meant to.

"You did say I could look all I like, did you not?" He laughed, teasing her with his carefree demeanor.

Now, Leah Clearwater had one weakness, and one weakness only. It was that she was highly competitive-especially in matters of wit and will.

Hers was a character that was easily drawn into the game of cat and mouse. The man's clever retort, combined with his easy demeanor and absolute disregard of her bad tempered manner was sufficient enticement for her to ignore her apprehensions and change her mind about her earlier resolution to get rid of him immediately.

It might be better to torment him first...

Leah's eyes held his with a sudden interest, and one corner of her lips turned up in a smirk. She shrugged her small, smooth shoulders and tried to assume a look of casual indifference. "I was only thinking of you just now." She rejoined with mock sincerity. "I would hate for your ego to suffer the singular blow of being refused what you desire."

"It's sweet of you to be concerned for my welfare." Jacob replied with a grin. His eyes burned into hers as he continued. "But on that matter, we both know you don't need to worry."

She wondered if his remark meant that he did not find her desirable, or attractive, or if her was just so confident that she would submit to him if he did. He saw her confusion and laughed whole-heartedly.

More curious than ever, she took the coy approach. "I suppose you have too many strumpets to choose from to become overly excited about any single one, what with the harem of slaves you must have lined up to do your bidding."

She said this as if she were complimenting him, but the message was clear enough. One of the things she detested most about this modern man's world was the way women were always willing to debase themselves by selling their flesh to men as willing sex slaves. And yet, she knew it had to sting a man's pride to know that, even though they could buy virtually anything they wanted from a woman, they were, nevertheless, obliged to pay for it. In this lone remark, Leah was insinuating that he, too, would probably have to pay for favors, even though she doubted he would get far enough to do anything worth giving up his money.

Jacob was not put off by her remark in the least, however, and answered with a cool and steady composure. "Even so, I am willing to give _you _the opportunity of being my slave, if you ask me nicely." He loved the way her eyes flashed in barely contained anger, the sight of the rising color in her cheeks, at his remark. Jacob was enjoying goading her immensely.

"I most certainly do not want to be your slave, Mr. Black!" Leah huffed. How could he twist everything around so completely? She wished with all her might she could wipe that Cheshire Cat grin off his face!

"If you didn't secretly wish to be my slave, you would not have brought it up to begin with." He argued, still grinning, showing off his perfectly white teeth.

His obvious arrogance aggrivated her and her eyes flashed dangerously as her smirk turned into a sneer. "Could you really be so conceited that you think what I meant by my remark was that I wanted to be your slave?"

"I would bet my tail on it."

"As confident as that, are you?" Leah challenged, looking for an opportunity to make him see how wrong he was. (She was also looking for a tail. She found none, thank heavens.) But she was too inexperienced in the game to realize that he was baiting her.

"Shall I prove it to you?" Mr. Black asked, returning her challenge.

"Prove-!" His audacity was really to much. An alarm of some kind flashed a warning in her head, advising her to be cautious but she wass too prvoked to heed it. Besides, it was exhilarating to meet a man with a little bit of backbone and such a quick wit. She was going to enjoy it while she could. Ancestral courage welled up within her in response to his challenging posture. She felt it was her duty to put him in his place, and so without a moment's thought, she replied. "If you can prove anything but my utter disgust for you, Mr. Black, I will be your slave for this very evening!"

Her eyes got very wide as soon as the words were out, for she felt a flash of terror. Had she really just said that? And when had they moved from the protective shelter of her apartments?

It didn't mater. Leah would never give in to him, and Jacob would eventually be forced to leave her with his hypothetical tail between his legs, unsuccessful and humiliated. This thought made her smile.

Jacob Black was smiling, too, also thinking. Just when it seemed that all the women were becoming docile little fools, ready to submit to anything put before them, he finds this little jewel, a small package full of raw emotion. Why, she was exactly what he had been searching for his entire life. And to think that he had nearly avoided her, at the advice of the many other men she had rejected.

"Bitchy." They all called her. "Harpy, Odd Little Thing, etc." What fools! As exquisite as she was, it was to be expected that she would instinctively want a man that was willing to put up a fight for her. He recognized this because he came from the same species as she, who prefer a stuggle before mating. He needed to continually prove his right to possess his partner, while she needed a mate that was worthy of her and unafraid. Through instinct, he knew that they both felt these things, though he also knew that she did not fully understand them yet.

It was time to enlighten her...

Jacob stepped closer to Leah, and lightly brushed her long hair to one side. She felt his warm, fragrant breath on her cheek as he stepped closer to her. "How shall we put it to the test?"

He felt her suck in a breath and hold it. A thought or two crossed her mind, but she remained silent. She was utterly stumped.

"Perhaps a kiss." He suggested finally, after allowing her thoughts to wander a bit.

Leah sighed and visibly sagged in relief. All she had to do was withstand one simple kiss without swooning over him. She was certain that she could accomplish that. How utterly sweet it was going to be to send him packing after his damnedest to impress her with his best kiss. She nearly chuckled at the appealing thought.

Jacob looked into her eyes and saw the amusement there. So the little tease was already congratualting herself on her victory, was she? Good. He needed to catch her off guard. But he warned himself to be careful. She was one-of-a-kind in their world and he was _not _about to let her get away.

Confident now, Leah tilted her head back in anticipation of Jacob's kiss, all the while looking expectantly into his ever darkening eyes. He stared back at her while his lips hovered directly over hers for what seemed like an eternity. An uncertainty came into her eyes, and suddenly, she was impatient. Was he going to do it or not? What kind of simpleton says he's going to kiss you and then doesn't do it?

His lips remained so close that they were almost brushing hers. "Well?" He finally whispered. "Where would you like it?"

"What?" She whispered back.

"The kiss." He explained. "Where would you like me to kiss you?"

Leah stared at him in shock. Images that made her dizzy flooded her brain, but she instantly forced them out of her consciousness. And yet, she was trembling. She once again reminded her self that the wisest course would be to get this over with quickly.

And just _how _was she supposed to answer his question without sounding like she_ wanted _him to kiss her? Jacob really had an infuriating way of setting her up. What she would really like to do is- Suddenly, she had an idea.

"I think the least offensive place would be my foot." She said at last, with an eager, devious smile.

"Your foot it is..." Jacob replied without disappointment nor hesitation. He had expected no less of her. Besides, his suggestive question had the desired effect. He had noticed her loss of composure, it only for a few moments.

He went down on one knee before her in a decievingly submissive posture. As she prepared for the kiss, Leah felt a peculiar disappointment that he had allowed himself to be beaten so easily, and a strange regret that it would all soon be over. It occured to her that, from somewhere within herself, she had hoped he would be smarter or stronger or something... but immediatley, she reproached herself for being so foolish, remembering that it was her pride and her freedom on the line.

Jacob gently picked up her bare foot and placed his warm lips on it for a lingering kiss. Immediately after the kiss was concluded, Leah yanked back her small foot in a swift motion, with the intention of kicking him in the face -and act that would once and for all show him her utter self possession and lack of response to him. But as she swung her foot forward to deliver the blow, his hand flew out with razor sharp precision and caught her ankle, holding it in a warm grip of steel.

Leah gasped at this unexpected turn of events. The strength she felt in the firm grasp he maintained on her leg sent a huge, shuddering thrill through her. She tried unsuccessfully to shake him off, but he held her with as little trouble as she might have had holding a butterfly by the wing. All at once, she was completely disarmed.

Suddenly, she lost her footing, balancing and struggling on the one foot as she had been. With arms and legs akimbo, she fell bottom first to the floor. With the swiftness of a panther, Jacob reached out and caught her, breaking her fall with his hands and forearms. She was at first relieved, when she did not feel the tell tale pain shooting up her backside. Then she became horrified at the feeling of his hands cupping her posterior. She moved to get up, but he held her there.

"We haven't determined the effect of the kiss yet." Jacob said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Leah asked, still stuggling to get up and away from his hands.

"What I mean is that I want to see if I was able to inspire 'anything but your utter disgust' for me with my kiss." He explained calmly.

"Oh... Well, I assure you that disgust pretty much sums up my feelings." Leah lied, trying to appear calm and inaffected. It was difficult with his strong hands holding her the way they were.

"I don't believe you." Jacob replied. "And I like to verify things whenever possible."

"Well, it's not possible." She snapped. "So you're just going to have to take my word for it."

"But it is possible." He argued. "It's not only possible, but also simple and painless." So saying, he removed his hands from beneath her and pried open her legs.

At last she realized what he meant to do. A persistent tingling had been building between her legs since before the kiss and now her desire was all but throbbing within her.

"No." Leah protested fervently. "No!" She shook her head and struggled desperately to close her legs.

"If it's as you say, after one brief inspection, I will leave here and never bother you again." He said in an annoyingly reasonable tone of voice, loosening his hold on her legs for the moment. "But if you're lying, as I suspect, you are rightfully my slave for the night."

Leah gasped in horror. When did the tables turn and he became the victor?

"You can admit you desire for me directly if you wish..." He amended patiently.

"Never!" She nearly shrieked.

"Well then, you have nothing to hide, have you?" He asked.

His eyes locked with hers, and it was as if she were hypnotized as she alowed him to open her legs wide. His fingers gently touched her, probing her. She cursed her treacherous body even as she shuddered in pleasure when his finger slid easily into the tell-tale wetness. He let out a hoarse groan and drew her closer into his arms.

"I win." he said, just before his lips claimed hers.

Her pride was crushed, but she could no longer deny that he had won the battle. Still she conceded grudgingly. Her eyes flashed with anger and she bit his tongue when he pushed it into her mouth. This didn't deter him in the least; it was again what he expected from her. He willingly permitted her to vent all her rage on him. After all, he understood how annoying it could be to lose.

He gently held her arms down until she ceased her clawing, all the while continuing to kiss her tenderly. She stuggled to fight off her feelings of attraction to such a worthy opponent; but gradually, she began to submit to the warm feelings he kindled within her, and she finally accepted defeat. She returned his kisses with a passion that matched his own. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his body.

But he only reveled in her total surrender for a moment. He had already decided that he wanted much more from her than one night of forced servitude. It was time to raise the stakes in their little game.

Jacob pulled himself away from Leah's embrace and smirked. "How is it that I, your master, am here servicing you, my slave?"

She was too stunned by the rude interruption to respond. She had thought that her utter surrender to him would satisfy his need to dominate her, but it seemed that she had been mistaken in that. He wasn't waiting for a response from her however. With a quick motion he slapped her posterior, signaling to her that she must rise.

With burning cheeks, Leah abruptly stood up, attempting to straighten the useless cloth she wore. She glared at Jacob, silently vowing to find a way to get even with him. But he went on as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Follow me, _slave_." He ordered, leading the way. She went to take her first shaky step. "On you hands and knees."

She gaped at him, nearly choking on her words with the horror and rage she felt. "I will not!" She finally managed in a strangled voice.

"You what?" He asked, feigning shock at the outburst. But it was again what he had expected. He knew it would take heaven and earth to get her on her knees. As luck would have it, he just so happened to have the power over heaven and earth at that particular moment, for he knew her pride would never allow her to renege on a bet.

"You heard me!" She remarked, standing rigidly before him.

"Are you, then, refusing to make good on our deal?" He asked, slowly and evenly.

She paused at that. Hitching her chin up a little higher, she stood stiffly before him. "I will serve as your slave for the evening, as agreed upon, but I shall not do it on my hands and knees."

"You agreed to be my slave, and a slave is obliged to do _everything _as indicated by her master." He reasoned shrewdly. "Furthermore, I can assure you that it is quite usual for a slave to be required to take that position before me... as well as many others." He added with a cheeky smile.

At this, Leah was silent. She had never been, nor did she wish to ever become, a slave to anyone.

"Tell me." He continued. "If I were your slave, would I not be on my hands and knees at this very moment?"

Leah again remained silent, because she could hardly deny that she would give much to see him on his hands and knees at that moment. Jacob felt it was the perfect time to set Leah up for another game,

"You were the one who proposed the stakes." He reminded her harshly. "Now unless you wish to demand a rematch to win back your freedom, you are bound to serve me however I wish."

It only took a half second for her eyes to flash back to life and for her to grasp the hook he had dangled before her. "A rematch?"

"Yes." Then he pretended to change his mind. "I mean, no. I don't think I could be enticed to agree to that. After all, I've got a pretty good deal here with you as my slave for the evening."

He almost smiled as she uttered the words he had been waiting for. "But we could go double or nothing!"

"Now why would I wager two potential nights of slavery for the one definite night I already have?" He pretended to think. "No. Forget it. You're wasting time. On your knees, if you please."

"What do you want then?" She demanded.

"Well, to consider giving up my evening as your master, I would need the opportunity to win something of even greater value to me, say... you as my wife." He was as shocked as she was when he said it, for he had only been intending to make her stay with him for an extended period of time. But once the words were out, he knew he meant them. He loved the feeling he got from her challenging nature. They had the perfect chemistry, and he knew they would keep challenging each other for the rest of their lives.

But when Leah heard his words, she almost laughed. "You expect me to wager one night of slavery against an eternity of it?" She laughed again at the proposition.

"As my wife, you'd hardly be a slave." He said, the teasing smirk returning. "But it is flattering to know that your first instinct is to assume that you would be the loser."

This, of course, irritated her already bruised pride, and she grumbled resentfully. "It was only by using trickery that you won the last bet. It was completely unfair, and I can assure you that it will not happen again." Although, she could not help remembering his prying hand, and wondered how she could make true her rash statement.

"Am I to understand that you wish to undergo the test again?" He asked with a disarmingly handsome, taunting smile.

"No!" She blurted out, mortified. She tried to hide her blushing cheeks by turning her head away from him in an arrogant gesture. "What I mean is that I dispute the accuracy of such a barbarian test."

"Oh, I can assure you that it is a more accurate way to find out the truth than by your false words." He argued in confident amusement. "What _I _felt there was definately not disgust."

She was annoyed and embarrased by the reminder. "If you had the impact on me that you suppose, it seems that you could somehow have extracted the truth from my lips."

"Is that another challenge?" Jacob asked, raising an eyebrow. Leah couldn't recall another instance when a simple eyebrow had seemed so masculine to her.

"I... Well..." She trailed off, a little more wary this time. All at once, she seemed to make up her mind. "Yes!"

He held out his hand to her. "So, you accept my terms? A night of slavery against becoming my wife?"

"Those terms aren't fair and you know it!" She ignored his hand and protested, anger flashing in her eyes.

"Whether they are fair or not, I do not know." He replied. "But it is for me, as the reigning victor, to set the terms, and there they are. Take them or leave them."

Her jaw was set in an obstinate expression as the anger flashed more dangerously in her eyes. She would be damned if she would agree to his outrageous terms. "Let's get this night over with." She snapped.

He sighed, silently debating over how long it would take for him to break her down to the point where she would accept his terms. He was torn between two or three minutes. Gently, he placed his hand on the small of her back and pushed forward. "On all fours then, slave."

She took a deep breath, assuring herself that she could do it. But her first attempt failed. Her limbs felt unusually stiff and they refused to comply. It was as if they possessed a will of their own, and refused to bend under the present circumstances. Her face was a dangerous shade of scarlet when she finally was able to force her body to submit, and at length, she found herself prostrate before the arrogant man, on her hands and knees.

This position was new to her. She was overcome with shame and mortification, but mostly, red-hot anger. She felt agitated and inexplicably high strung. Her eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She refused to let her tormentor see the extent of her discomfiture.

She was brought out of her thoughts when he slapped her buttocks lightly. "Forward... Slave." She could hear the victorious smirk in his voice and fought the urge to stand up and punch him square in his infuriatingly handsome face. But awkwardly, she crawled forward, hating him more with every advance; every passing second.

Jacob walked behind her, enjoying the view, but not really liking to see her so subjugated. He felt that she was definately at her most magnificent when she stood in a posture of prideful authority.

Tears of unspeakable anger threatened to gush forward, Leah held them back again, desperate to maintain the facade of internal composure. But with every movement she made and every passing moment, she felt more debased and was quickly giving way to despair.

"Left here, please." She abruptly halted.

"That leads outdoors to the public." She protested in horror. By some miracle, they had avoided seeing anyone in their travels so far, but she knew the likelihood of seeing other men and women would increase if they left their current shelter. Surely, this aburdly gorgeous man who was to be her master for the evening would not be so depraved as to force her to accompany him out there!

"I know where it leads." He said in an offhand way, examining his thumbnail for effect. "I have a desire for fresh air, and I want you to accompany me."

"There are other men out there!" She would not- could not- possibly go out there, where everyone would see her and henceforth believe her to be a slave. What was she to do?

Jacob caught a glimpse of the wild desperation on her face, but he could not let up now- not when he had come so far with her. He was determined to have her submit to him fully, and he knew that the only way to accomplish that was to win completely. He was amazed that she had lasted this long. But he knew that she could hold out no longer. She would rather do anything than to serve him publicly on her hands and knees. And he certainly had no intention of allowing his fellow men to see her so demeaned. She _was_ his, after all.

With a false air of impatience, he nudged her forward. But she didn't budge. A tear on her smooth cheek sparkled in the dim light and he fought the urge to stop the game and take her into his arms. But there would be plenty of time for that later, and he forced himself to nudge her again. He was astounded by her long standing stubborness.

_Take the challenge. _He mentally implored her. _You will still lose, but you will do so with more dignity._

"Okay! Okay..." She sighed, furiously wiping another stray tear. "I'll take the challenge." She whispered, sounding exhausted, but not defeated just yet...

Good.

"Stand up then." He said, letting out a quiet, relieved sigh of his own. "Unless you've grown to like it down there."

Leah shot up like a rocket. She was trembling with relief and busied herself with dusting off her hands and knees as she tried to regain her composure. It occured to her suddenly that she had put herself throught all that humiliation for no good reason. What did she care that the wager was unreasonably high? She refused to lose to him a second time, for this time, it would require a full confession from her lips. And she still had full control over that organ, if not the other parts of her body.

No, he could never make her utter in words the same admission her traitorous body had given.

Jacob led Leah to his quarters, which, of course, were far more superior to her little, modest apartment on the other side of the apartment building. It irked her that the men had always had so much more than the women. especially since the reality was that they worked just as hard, if not harder than the men. She looked at him, uncertain and agitated.

"So all I have to do is remain here without...?" She paused.

"Without confessing your true feelings for me?" He suggested with a wry grin.

"Without confirming your illusions regarding my feelings for you." She corrected, annoyed, but more hopeful and composed for now. "And how long do you plan on keeping me here?"

"Two hours will be sufficient, don't you think?" He said sweetly. "It will, by no means take the full two hours to have you issuing forth a confession of your desire for me. I find two hours to be the time I most prefer for this particular pastime." He walked casually to the window to hide his countinence from her. Her could only defeat her if she took the bait, yet again.

"I don't give a shit about your personal preferences." She stormed, wishing that she could just once, make him lose his smug self assurance.

"Is that your way of asking for three hours instead of two?" He taunted lightly.

"Two hours is more than enough time to have to endure your presence. And you will be the only one doing any confessing of any kind."

He congratulated himself on his ability to lure her in, yet again. She would indeed be a dangerous opponent if she were not so hotheaded. He removed the smile from his lips as he turned to face her. "Another challenge?"

"Well..." She paused and thought for a few moments. "I do think I could tolerate _you _as _my _slave for the evening. Yes!"

"Just so we understand each other..." He quickly went in for the kill. "If you declare your obvious desire for me, you become my wife. If I declare my desire first, I become your slave?"

Leah thought for a moment. It still sounded a mite unfair to her ears, but she knew she was going to win this challenge. And she would give anything to have _him _be her slave for a few fleeting moments. "Yes. Yes, I think that sums it up quite nicely."

"Well then, just so you know, if you're going to have a fighting chance of getting any kind of declaration from me, you're going to have to do it from over there." He jerked a thumb in the direction of the oversize bed that stood in the middle of the room.

Leah bit her lip as she looked toward the bed. She, by no conscious effort of her own, had been thinking the very same thing. And why not? She wouldn't mind sampling pleasures from the man who had manage to get the best of her at this point.

Jacob almost groaned out loud as he read her thoughts from the expression on her face. Perhaps he should have taken what he could have from her as a slave. But no, that would never satisfy him. He wanted this woman forever as his playmate, his rival in wit and affection.

He stepped nearer to her and lifted her chin. His eyes locked with hers. Determined to win her heart, he lowered his lips to hers.

Determined to win the game, she met his lips with fervor. Now she could at last give in to the desire that had been growing within her throughout their little game. She wound her arms around his neck and pressed her body up against his.

As long as she didn't speak, everything would be alright.

In one easy sweep, Jacob lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He wanted to remove his clothes,and feel her softness against his skin, but needed the advantage of remaining clothed for as long as possible. He leaned over her on the bed and very adeptly removed the dress she wore. Then he resumed kissing her, his hands aggressively exploring her naked flesh.

Although his hands and lips were sending never ending thrills thoughout her body, somewhere in the far back corner of her mind, Leah could hear a repeated warning, but it was too distant to make out. As she struggled to regain control, it occured to her that she shouldn't be allowing him to seduce her like this. _She _should be seducing _him._ After all, she didn't want to just avoid losing the bet; she wanted to win. She wanted to see _him _on his hands and knees before her, groveling before her, just as she had been forced to do before him.

She raised herself up and pushed her hands against his chest in an effort to force him onto his back on the bed. When he complied, she slowly began to remove his clothes. His body was so beautiful in its masculinity that she couldn't help but wonder if by undressing him, she was not harming her own cause more than his.

Biting her lip and taking a deep breath, she slowly lowered her lips to his face. He tried to claim her lips with his , but she backed away, and then repeated the action, until he allowed her full control of the kiss. Once this tiny battle was over, she began placing her kisses lower, working her way past his chin and neck to his chest, and then even lower until she heard his sharp intake of breath. She realized then that she had one clear advantage over him and that was that his desire was clearly visible. She could easily percieve the effect she was having over him.

Her confidence soared as she lowered her lips over the protrusion that betrayed him. He made one pitiful attempt to stop her before she closed her lips around him, gently sucking on the tip. A low groan escaped his lips. She wondered for the moment if that counted. Surely, that groan, translated into language, would be an obvious expression of desire for her. But she knew she needed more. Suddenly, he pushed her head away from him.

"What's the matter?" She asked, wide eyed in her feigned innocence. But thinking ridicule to be a better tool, she allowed her lips to slip into a wicked smile. "Afraid?" She taunted.

"Not at all." He said with a forced tone of civility, but a muscle in his jaw was jerking violently. "I simply want more."

With that, he jerked her body toward him so that she landed beside him, but facing the opposite side of the bed. Startled, she squealed and started to protest, but he raised his brow with the same challenging look she had given him. And what could she do?

She was not so confident this time, as she once again took him in her mouth. His strong hands curved around her buttocks so he could hold her body in place as his lips and tongue descended upon her. His tongue, with the accuracy of a compass, landed directly upon the magic spot with its first touchdown. He began a firm cirlcling motion just above and around it. She stuggled to move away from her skilled adversary, desperate to keep control in this shaky game, but he held her firmly in place with his hands as he continued to torment her with his tongue.

Leah realized suddenly that she had paused her own attack while trying to defend herself from his. She stuggled to gather her senses and concentrate on what had to be done. She grasped him with her lips once more, licking and sucking him furiosly in an attempt to match what he was doing to her. He was taken aback by this vigorous assault and his tongue pause, but only for a moment. They both shuddered and moaned from the pleasure they suffered at the hands of the other.

But neither would allow the other to be satisfied, for that would render them powerless. Instead, they repeatedly bought each other to the very precipice of release and then stopped short, hoping the other would make the plea that would end their torment. Jacob was so aroused that Leah could taste his pleasure. Jacob, when pulling away from Leah, would pause to submerge his tongue in her wetness, reveling in the effect he was having on her. She was so close, he knew. If he could hold off for just a little longer, he could enjoy these pleasures with her forever. But then he realized he had to do something quick if he was going to win. He could feel himself losing control.

Stopping abruptly to change his course of action, he pulled himself over her and spread her legs wide. Her cry, when he thrust himself into her, delighted him nearly to the point of surrendering then and there, confessing his desire to have her. He knew it was extremely dangerous, to take her this way when he himself was so excited, but it was his only chance. He was still physically stronger than her, even if she was his sexual equal. With that in mind, he bit his lip and took the upper hand in the contest, forcing her excitement to grow. He placed his hand on the spot he previously held with his tongue and rubbed gently as he drove himself relentlessly into her.

Leah was close. Her face was flushed, and she was panting for air. Every muscle in Jacob's body strained as he stuggled to maintain control, and all the while, he watched her every motion with vigor. "Come on, sweetheart." He coaxed.

The moment had come. He saw the vunerability in her face as she approached her weakest point, and he hated himself for doing it, even as he abruptly stopped the motions now that she wanted more than ever and pulled himself all the way out of her.

She stared at him in shock. Her hand reached down to touch the place that burned to be touched, but he intercepted it and held it firmly down so she could not use it. She struggled under him for a moment.

"Please!" She whispered desperately.

"Please what?" He asked calmly, never betraying the turmoil within him.

His lips were so close to hers that they brushed her as he spoke. The pleasure was excrutiating. Anger flashed in her eyes as she turned away from his warm lips and once again struggled beneath him. He slid himself back into her, as deep as he could go and held himself perfectly still there. Sweat trickled down his back, and every nerve ending in his body was screaming for him to give in to her, to end this torment, but he held his ground.

"Tell me you want it." He said in a voice that was misleadingly gentle and kind. "That's all you have to do." She struggled again. He didn't want to lose her now.

With slow, gentle thrusts, he began again. His hand resumed its soft caressing.

"Oh no." She whimpered miserably.

"Oh yes." He smiled in spite of his agony.

Like a well tuned instrument, her body responded in perfect time to his every touch. She was feverish in her struggle, and he was getting impatient. Why did she have to be so goddamn stubborn? He was going to make her a very happy wife. When his excitement began to overtake him and he came too close to the edge, he thought about losing her forever and that was sufficient to cool his desire and hold his own needs at bay.

"That's it." He coached lovingly as she once again came perilously near the brink. "Now tell me you want me." He pulled himself almost completely out of her again and paused.

"No!" She screamed. But she was refering to his stopping, completely unaware now of what he wanted. "Please... Oh please. Don't stop..."

He didn't want to mince words at a time like this, but he couldn't have disputes over the matter later. "Tell me you want me." He repeated.

"I..." She stopped herself. He pulled completely out of her. "I..." She repeated.

He groaned loudly, thinking she had nearly as much endurance as he had. He pushed himself back into her and help perfectly still. "Tell me, sweetheart." He pleaded. Eons seemed to pass and he was about to give up. Sighing, he almost made to get up.

"I... want you." She whispered, tears streaming down her face. He looked down at her in surprise, stunned into silence. But that only lasted a few seconds.

Jacob wanted to comfort her, but that would have to wait until later. They had both held out for too long. He thrust himself into her again and again, thinking only to seal his victory with his final satisfaction, but suddenly, he recalled the prize he had won and what it had cost her.

Using the very last grain of self control that he possessed, he slowed his thrusts and once again busied himself with pleasing her. He could not believe, after all that, he had almost forgotten her and gotten himself off without satisfying her first. Happy wife indeed!

Jacob gathered his wits and held back, concentrating on giving Leah what she needed. Soon, she was again reaching the true object of her struggles. This time, he brought her through to the very end, and then, with a loud yell, he poured himself into her with absolute relief.

Leah clung to him afterward, trembling from the experience. After a while, Jacob lifted himself from her embrace to examine her face.

As Leah regained her composure, a small blush crept over her features. But she struggled to maintain an indifferent demeanor as she boldly met his eyes.

With an air of nonchalance, she sat up. If it weren't for the wicked glint in her eyes, he would have thought the last couple hours had meant nothing to her.

"I must say you caught me off guard that time... What do you say to a rematch?"

Jacob smiled challengingly as he bargained with his future wife.

* * *

**FIN**


End file.
